INCLUSIVE EDUCATION OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVE CIVIC COMPETENCE IN FUTURE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

Abstract

This article examines inclusive education in the context of a pedagogical university and analyzes how the development of active civic competence in future special education teachers strengthens inclusive practice. The study conceptualizes active civic competence as an integrated professional quality that combines rights-based awareness, ethical responsibility, participatory skills, and advocacy-oriented behavior in support of learners with diverse educational needs. In the Uzbek higher-education context, inclusive education requires not only methodological readiness to differentiate instruction, but also civic readiness to protect children’s rights, collaborate with families and community services, counter stigma, and contribute to inclusive school culture. The article argues that civic competence functions as a mediating factor between formal knowledge of inclusion and consistent professional action in complex educational environments. The research proposes an integrative framework that links inclusive pedagogy, disability studies perspectives, and civic education principles to the professional formation of future special educators. It outlines institutional conditions that support this development, including practice-based learning in inclusive settings, reflective training, service-learning, and structured partnership with schools and local support services. The article highlights expected outcomes: increased professional agency, improved collaboration and communication with stakeholders, and stronger adherence to equity and accessibility standards. The findings contribute to strengthening teacher education programs that aim to prepare special education professionals capable of advancing inclusive education through competent, ethically grounded, and civically active practice.